Before it's too late
by twinkle-fingers
Summary: AU/Human One-shot After being captured by the Evil Emperor Zurg, Jessie gets to see Buzz one final time before he is taken away from her for good. Will she get a chance to tell him how she really feels before it's too late? BuzzxJessie


**Note: This is my very first fanfiction ever and I'm super excited. I've wanted to write something on these two for a while now, and I finally did, and I really hope you guys like it! It's kinda randomly set as if in the middle of a story, so, you can leave the details and other bits up to your imaginations. I'm not sure if anyone had done a story like this before, but if you have, I'm not trying to copy anything. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Disney, Pixar, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command or Toy Story (sad face)**

Jessie was thrown like a ragdoll into the dark cell. She knew she could have lain there and waited for the watch guard to go away, but she had more pride then to surrender to brute force, so instead she picked herself up, brushed herself down and glared at him.

"Maybe a lil' warnin' next time, thanks."

"You've got ten minutes" the guard barked.

Jessie's jaw dropped, "What? That's nothin'!"

"Ten minutes or you can get out sweetheart."

"Well, some privacy'd be nice." She requested as she crossed her arms.

The guard grunted, locked the cell and walked away slowly.

Jessie stared after him and waited until she was sure that there was no one around before rushing over to the sleeping space ranger. He was lying on a bed of wooden planks that was hanging precariously off a wall. The cell itself was…..well, it was a cell. With grey walls, floor and ceiling, the only light source came from outside the cell bars, causing the room to streak yellow and grey.

" _What have I done?_ " Jessie thought to herself, " _This is all my fault. He shouldn't be in this awful cell, he should be out fighting for the galaxy or back at Star Command. If I hadn't run away during our fight, then he wouldn't have followed after me and we wouldn't have gotten captured by Zurg's guards!_ "

She sat down gingerly on the end of his bed (if you could call it that) and stared at the man in front of her. His eyes were lightly closed and his light brown hair was gently tousled over his forehead. His cheeks were slightly pink and she couldn't help but smile at his cute innocent face as he dreamed.

Jessie leaned over him and stroked his cheek tenderly. He was black and blue and had a fresh deep cut running down his neck. He was wearing a tight black suit which she presumed was what he wore under his bulky spacesuit which was nowhere in sight. She trailed her fingers through his soft hair and unintentionally caused him to stir in his sleep. She didn't want to have to wake him as he looked so peaceful, but she had to tell him or she may never get the chance. It truly was now or never.

"Buzz?" Jessie whispered loudly while shaking him. He stirred again but just rolled over, leaning into her palm. Jessie put her other hand on his forehead, which felt unusually warm under her touch.

"Buzz!" she said, this time louder, praying he would wake up soon, ten minutes wasn't exactly a long time.

Buzz shifted again, this time with much livelier movements, finally waking from his slumber. He opened his eyes slowly and winced as he tried to sit up. As he straightened himself, he noticed someone sitting across from him. As his eyes adjusted he found emerald eyes staring into his blue ones.

Buzz's jaw dropped and he spent several moments taking in the beautiful cowgirl in front of him. She smiled shyly at him, "Hey."

Buzz continued to stare at her. Jessie sat uncertainly, her red eyebrows rising in concern. She rubbed his cheek again with her thumb. "Buzz, what's a'matter? It's me, Jessie."

Buzz knelt up and drew closer to Jessie as if trying to figure out if he was still dreaming or not. Jessie stared at him with growing concern, "Buzz?"

He didn't answer, only put his right hand behind her ear and brought her lips to his in one swift movement.

Jessie was shocked at first, but didn't pull away. His lips were covering every inch of hers and the amount of passion they held was enough to make her head spin. Jessie gave in to the kiss without a second thought, letting herself get lost in this sudden show of raw emotion. He pulled away reluctantly looking slightly embarrassed by his bold actions. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Jessie had claimed his lips again. He let out a small moan as he felt her bite at his lower lip and slide her tongue along it, teasing.

Jessie could sense the distress and anxiety Buzz was feeling as he grasped the back of her head with one hand, pulling her in closer. She rested her other hand against his chest as he brought his hand up and held her wrist tightly. He leaned into her even more and Jessie was forced to alter her sitting position and kneel up too in order for her to maintain her balance.

Buzz pushed her against the cell wall gently but firmly and curled his fingers under her chin, kissing her feverishly. Their lips continued to caress one another's and their aching bodies slid against each other sending shivers down each of their spines. Jessie slid her hand along the inside of his thigh and realised just how tight his suit was. How she longed to just tear it off him. At the same time, Buzz slid his hand down her yellow chequered shirt and then over her jeans to rest on her hip. His other hand snaked up her back and pulled off Jessie's yellow hair ribbon, leaving her hair fall around her like a red waterfall. He weaved his hand into it and let his fingers get harmlessly tangled in her curly mane.

Jessie slid her hands around his neck, forgetting about the open wound she had come across earlier. Buzz let out a yelp and pulled away in pain.

Jessie put a hand to her mouth, automatically feeling guilty. "Oh Buzz, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt ya!"

"No no, it's not your fault, you aren't the one who gave it to me."

Jessie frowned. What had Zurg been doing to Buzz? He looked extremely run down and had no life in his blue eyes like he usually did. Jessie wanted to find out, "Buzz, what have they been doing to ya exactly?"

Buzz sighed and turned to face her, a pained expression growing on his face. "Zurg's been, uh, Zurg's been….." he cleared his throat and didn't dare look into Jessie's eyes, "…..torturing me."

Jessie gasped and felt tears spring to her eyes.

"He wants information about Star Command. We've been making a new weapon powerful enough to stop him, but, if it got into the wrong hands, could be capable of destroying entire planets. Of course, Zurg, being the most evil super-villain in the universe, managed to hear about this and is planning on stealing it. When he learned I had gone to earth by myself, he sent a few spies to seek out any information I may reveal, but when they came back with nothing, he decided to take matter into his own hands. He found out what I was doing there, you know, visiting you and your brother, and decided to play that to his advantage. After watching us fighting, he saw his opportunity. He would have done anything to get me Jess, including destroying your entire planet. I had to surrender."

Buzz managed to bring his eyes up to look at Jessie and awaited a reply. She was looking at him through fogged up eyes and when a tear ran down her cheek, his heart broke. He reached out and rubbed it away with his thumb.

"Buzz, how…..why? I mean, you….."

Buzz put a finger to her lips, "Shhh, Jess, I'm fine, see? Everything is going to be alright. I didn't tell them anything so they captured another ranger, a much more inexperienced ranger who told him everything he needed to know. He has no more use for me. That's why I'm, you know, tomorrow morning I….." but he trailed off no wanting to say what they both knew would happen to him.

Jessie sighed. Their situation didn't look good. "Buzz, we've been here over a week. Every day since we got captured I asked to see ya, and today they came to me to tell me I finally could. Why is that?"

Buzz knew she knew, but Jessie was looking for clarification, should they keep fighting or just give up? Buzz really didn't know the answer to that question just yet.

When Jessie realised Buzz wouldn't be replying she spoke again, wanting to clear the air. "Buzz look, I'm sorry about earlier, I wasn't thinkin straight, I didn't want ya leavin' again and I acted like a child an….."

But Buzz cut her off mid-sentence, "No Jess, we can't dwell on a petty fight, I should have just told you sooner that I was to be going to be leaving for good. But you know what, that doesn't matter, what matters is that we're here now, together." As he said together, he gently took Jessie's hand in his own and squeezed it. She looked into his blue eyes, some life starting to grow in them again and she couldn't help but smile.

"So Jessie, tell me, how did you, a small town cowgirl, manage to sneak on board a ship owned by one of the greatest evil threats the universe has ever faced?" Buzz asked trying to lighten the subject.

Jessie grinned "Not very well. See, soon as them guards landed n grabbed me, I knew who they really wanted and knew I had to think of a rescue plan since no one was around fer miles. When ya said you'd go in my place, I knew that once ya got on that ship, I wasn't gonna see ya again, so when one of the guards swung at me, I pretended to go down. But soon as I saw ya board the ship, I snuck on and hid behind a load of crates. I managed to make my way past some guards and through most o' the rooms, but soon as I went to go into your row of cells, I got caught by Zurg himself! I've been held in this dark, cold room way down by the food court an I'm pretty sure in a way that's been my torture.

Ya know, I've been dyin' ta see ya, an today when they told me I could, all of a sudden, I was scared, scared you'd be angry at me, scared you wouldn't wanna see me, but now, I'm scared that this'll be the last time we ever get to see each other."

Buzz could see tears starting to form in Jessie's eyes again. He pulled her in close for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his torso pulling him in as close as possible.. Buzz nuzzled her hair, never wanting to let her go.

"You know, at Star Command, we were taught that it was wrong to love someone while you were serving as a space ranger as it could put, not only their own lives, but their lover's and everyone they cared about's lives in danger. I had never loved before you, in fact, I wasn't even sure what love was! You have opened my eyes to so much Jessie, I can't stand the thought of losing you. I thought the commanders were just exaggerating as per usual, but now I can see, they weren't joking, now my life, your life, and your entire planet's in danger. And it's all my fault."

Jessie had to take a few breaths before speaking. She knew this situation was bad, but hearing it from Buzz just made the reality of it sink deeper. She leaned forward so their foreheads almost touched. She traced a finger along his lips and then kissed them gently. As she pulled back she looked deep into his brilliant blue irises.

"Buzz, back when I was younger, Woody an I used to watch cartoons on tv about good guys and bad guys. The good guys were always the heroes with big muscles and hearts o' gold, whereas the bad guys were jus plain evil an didn't seem to own a heart at all. Buzz, you are like one o' those superheroes. Ya have one o' the purest hearts I've ever seen, even after all you've seen an done. Your feelings, that's what makes ya wanna defend people, to give up yer own life to save and protect em. It's also the reason Zurg is evil. He has no feelin's, he wants to take over the universe cause he ain't got no regard for any livin' being but himself. So, I guess what I'm tryina get at here is, your feelings ain't stupid or wrong, they are worth their weight in gold and no one can take em away from ya, even if a planet is about to be destroyed cause of em."

Buzz stared at Jessie in awe, did she even know how much that speech meant to him coming from her. She wasn't upset or angry with him over everything, she had managed to accept it, something he guessed he would be incapable of doing if it were _his_ home planet in danger. He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and breathing in her earthy smell.

Jessie lay back into his chest and sighed. "I wish this moment could last forever." she thought.

Suddenly she bolted forward, when she heard footsteps coming from the corridor. She was running out of time, she had to tell him before that guard came back. Taking his hand she looked him straight in the eyes and said with a shaky voice, "Look Buzz, whatever happens, I just gotta tell ya, I-I….."

"Time's up doll."

Too late.

Jessie glared at the guard then turned her attention back on Buzz. She didn't want to leave him, she had to tell him everything now, how much he meant to her, how long she'd had feelings for him, how badly she wanted to kiss him and hold onto him every time she saw him, that the first moment she clapped eyes on him, she had fallen madly in love. She wasn't ready to leave, not yet.

Her grip on his hand tightened, "Buzz, I….."

"Come on sweetheart, time to go."

"Warp, give us a minute." Buzz growled.

Jessie's eyes went wide. She hadn't realised that that guard was Warp Darkmatter, Buzz's ex-partner gone rouge and now working for Zurg. It made her hate Zurg even more knowing he'd more than likely purposely assigned Buzz's ex best friend to be her watch.

"Buzz Lightyear, I really don't think you're in a position to be calling any shots here buddy!" Warp chuckled.

Jessie wanted to beat up Warp so bad it physically pained her not to get up right that second and snap him in two. But Buzz put his hand behind her ear and smiled at her gently and she immediately calmed down. She leaned into the palm of his hand and let her eyes close, trying to memorise exactly what he looked, smelt, felt and sounded like. What she didn't see was Buzz give Warp such a cold look, that he even backed away slightly.

"Please continue Jessie."

Jessie let her eyes flutter open and drew in a breath, "Buzz Lightyear, I am head over heels in love with ya!"

Buzz's grave expression softened and a smile grew on his face when he realised what Jessie had just confessed to him. He ran his fingers through her soft hair and whispered into her ear, "I love you too Jessie."

Jessie threw her arms around Buzz's neck and kissed him as tenderly as she could. If she couldn't tell him exactly how in love she was with him, she'd just have to show him. She couldn't stop the smile that fell on her lips as she felt Buzz kiss her back with the same amount of love she was showing.

They only broke apart when they heard the sound of keys in the door.

"You know, at first I thought this was all an act, I thought 'Buzz Lightyear would never be stupid enough to fall in love, this must be some sort of trick he has planned to fool us all' but now I see it, you actually love her don't you? Really, I thought you were better than that Buzz."

Jessie stood up, a fire beginning to rise inside her, energy starting to flow through her veins. She began to pace towards Warp, eyeing the open door as she went. "You're wrong Warp, love is powerful, much more powerful than hate, you'll see. You'll all see. Who'll be laughing then huh? Who'll be laughing then?"

Warp smirked and grabbed Jessie by the arms as she made a start for freedom. "Oh no you don't missy." He laughed as she began to thrash out at him "Feisty isn't she? I can see why you like her now." He pulled her through the door roughly and Jessie tripped, falling heavily to the ground.

Buzz jumped off his bed and made a run for the door stopping just in time for Warp to slam it in his face.

"Warp I'm warning you if you so much as lay one finger on her I'll….."

Warp laughed, "You'll what? Face it Lightyear, you're a goner, the sooner you accept that the better. Your girlfriend here, her entire home planet is now doomed because of you. Innocent people are going to lose their lives. In a few hours everything and everybody that you ever cared about…" Warp stroked Jessie's fiery red hair as she began standing up "Will be gone. And what power do you have to stop it? How can you possibly win this fight? You. Have. Nothing."

Buzz felt a chill run down his spine, the same feeling coursing through him that Jessie had experienced earlier. He wanted to retaliate, to fight back, but Jessie's words of wisdom were replaying in his head and he somehow managed to compose himself.

Warp spoke up again "Zurg will see you bright and early tomorrow morning. Your friend may just be there too." Jessie's eyes went wide and Buzz's stomach turned as Warp moved towards the bars and grinned, "And believe me when I say it will be the last time you see ever each other."

He then turned and started to drag Jessie away. She began to squirm again, trying desperately to break free from Warp's hold, but he was too strong. She looked back and one last time screamed "I LOVE YOU BUZZ!"

Buzz shouted back "I LOVE YOU TOO!" just as Jessie rounded the corner.

As her screams faded into thin air Buzz had never felt so helpless before. Feeling truly broken he retreated back into his cell. He closed his eyes and imagined bursting through the cell bars, running after Jessie and Warp, pummelling Warp, killing Zurg and escaping with Jessie, acting like a true hero, like the ones she told him about.

But of course, none of that was possible. He'd searched the whole cell for a way to escape, twice! But there was no way out. Tomorrow morning he would be brought to Zurg who would gloat like there's tomorrow, and then he would be killed. But dying wouldn't even be the worst part, the worst part would be the fact that Jessie would be forced to watch the whole thing.

Buzz felt his eyes tear up at the thought of never seeing Jessie again. He stared at his battered shoes and tried to think of something, anything other than the inevitability of the next morning, when he noticed something on the ground. He picked it up and gasped.

Jessie's yellow hair ribbon!

Buzz gazed at the frayed yellow material for a few moments. Even that much of Jessie made his heart pound and head spin. He wasn't ready to say goodbye forever.

He was going to find a way for them to escape.


End file.
